The most popular city of the Turkish Riviera, with countless hotels and lots of tourist attractions, located approximately 120 km east of Antalya. The famous resort is surrounded to the north by the Taurus Mountains and to the south by the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
The city has a rich history dating back to the times of ancient Greece and Rome, which makes Alanya a real gem with many places worth seeing. The oldest traces of the castle fortifications on the hill date back to the Hellenistic period, after the conquest of these lands by the Macedonian leader Alexander the Great.
According to local legend, it was in Alanya that the Roman commander Mark Antony married Cleopatra. As a sign of his great love, he was to give her this city as a wedding gift. In memory of this event, the most beautiful beach in the city is called Cleopatra’s Beach.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire into the western and eastern parts, Alanya remained under Byzantine control for centuries.
In the 13th century, the city was conquered by the Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubat, who liked the area so much that he made the city his winter capital. During his reign, the fortress on the hill was rebuilt, the famous symbol of the city – the Red Tower – and the first Seljuk shipyards on the Mediterranean coast were built. The city became an important seaport, thanks to which the Seljuks engaged in intensive trade with Egypt and Italian cities.
You can stroll through the green parks with fountains, take the cable car up to the mighty Kale Castle with its ramparts, which offers a wonderful view. It is worth visiting the Red Tower from the 13th century located next to the port and the Ottoman shipyards of Tersane, which are unique on a global scale. Right next to the famous Cleopatra beach there is Damlataş grotto with a unique microclimate. Alanya has a picturesque promenade, a lively center with lots of local shops and a nightlife with discos and clubs where the fun lasts until dawn.
